Inter Nos
by teh liz
Summary: Bellatrix and Andromeda Black meet Ted Tonks for the first time.


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Disclaimer:_ I do not own anything related to Harry Potter. I am not associated with JK Rowling, Scholastic Inc, Bloombury, or Warner Bros. Entertainment. No copyright infringement is intended, as this is only for fun._

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Author's Note:_ This is a fic for the Black family challenge at the __Blackaholics__ LJ community of which I am a member. Please be a reasponsible reader and review._

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Inter Nos

Two trunks, an owl, a cat, an order from father to behave, a good-bye to their nine-year-old sister Narcissa, and numerous kisses and requests to write from mother later, twelve-year-old Bellatrix and eleven-year-old Andromeda Black sat in their own compartment on the Hogwarts Express.

"You'll love Hogwarts, Andromeda," Bellatrix said, sitting across from her sister in an otherwise empty compartment. Andromeda paid careful attention to her sister while snacking on a bar of Honeyduke's best chocolate she'd bought from the trolley, her dark eyes wide as she hung on Bellatrix's every word. "Especially since you'll be in Slytherin, with me."

Andromeda looked at her sister, an experienced second-year in her eyes. "Really? Will I?"

"Well," Bellatrix hesitated momentarily, "you have to go through the sorting, where you put the sorting hat on your head, but you're a Black. Of course you'll go into Slytherin."

Suddenly, the door to their compartment slid open, and a boy stood in the doorway. He was obviously a first year, Bellatrix thought. He leaned in slightly, and asked with a sheepish look, "Mind if I sit in here? Everywhere else is full."

Bellatrix was about to answer that yes, she did mind, this was a conversation between sisters and she did not wish to be interrupted, but Andromeda piped up. "Sure! I'm Andromeda Black, and this is my sister Bellatrix." Well, that would do it. The name 'Black' would make him think twice about intruding, and he would leave to go find another compartment.

"Thanks!" he smiled brightly, closing the door behind him and settling beside Andromeda. Bellatrix exchanged a glance with Andromeda. Andromeda shrugged in response. "My name's Ted Tonks," Ted introduced himself, pushing some dark hair out of his eyes.

Tonks. Tonks. Bellatrix couldn't recall the name. She read the _Prophet_, had met most of the important people through her parents, and yet the name Tonks didn't ring any bells. "Tonks. Tonks. I don't think I know you."

Ted looked at Bellatrix, eyes wide for a second. "Oh. Well, you wouldn't. I don't know anyone here. My parents aren't magic."

Bellatrix's look became one of thinly veiled disdain. "Oh. _Muggles._"

"Yes, at least, that's what people keep calling them," Ted responded, oblivious to Bellatrix's disgust. "They were great, though. It was a bit of a surprise to have a wizard in the family, as you can imagine."

"I guess it would be!" Andromeda broke in before Bellatrix could say anything. It was Andromeda's turn to receive Bellatrix's Look, although Andromeda didn't notice.

The next couple hours were like a trainwreck that Bellatrix didn't have the heart to stop. She did her best to lose herself in the latest issue of _Witch Weekly_, but it was hard not to take note of the constant stream of conversation between the Muggleborn Ted Tonks and her sister. Subjects ranged from Quidditch to football — which Ted figured to be the muggle equivalent, whatever it was. Bellatrix made sure to send regular, disapproving glances at the pair of them, but Andromeda only paid a little attention.

"We're nearly there," Bellatrix finally found a proper place to interrupt. "_You_ should go change into the uniform," she said snappishly to Ted, as if she were speaking to a disgusting small animal.

This time, Ted did manage to notice. "Uh. Yeah, I guess. I'll talk to you later, Andie. Nice to meet you Bellatrix."

"Pleasure," Bellatrix responded, tone indicating she firmly felt otherwise.

"Bye Ted," Andromeda said, waving as Ted shut the door behind him and walked away.

Now it was just the two sisters again, and silence reigned. Andromeda's hands were in her lap, and she looked anywhere but at her sister. Bellatrix's arms were crossed across her chest, and she glared heavily at Andromeda. "Andie?" Bellatrix simply said in a questioning tone.

"It's just a nickname," Andromeda said hurriedly. "Like we call you Bella sometimes."

"But _not_ people I've just recently met, and most especially not mudbloods!" Bellatrix said with a glare.

"Ted was nice!" Andromeda matched Bellatrix's glare with one of her own.

"Nice or not, he was a filthy muggleborn, not fit for education at Hogwarts," came the reply. "You know that."

"But he was nice!" Andromeda repeated, a look of slight alarm on her face. "He was just as excited as I was to be going to Hogwarts, even though he didn't know anything about it!"

"You find the mudblood's ignorance... appealing, do you?" Bellatrix raised an eyebrow.

"Well... no..."

"The worst part about Hogwarts are the other houses. Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Gryffindor are all infested with mudbloods and muggle lovers," she continued the tirade. "They're absolutely everywhere. That's why you have to be in Slytherin. You're a Black. You're so much better than them, and they have to know that otherwise they're going to try and turn you into a muggle lover yourself."

Andromeda had patiently listened to Bellatrix. "You sound like Aunt," she responded with a deadly calm.

"At least one of us has some sense," Bellatrix said haughtily, not taking it as an insult like Andromeda meant it to be. "You must understand, Andromeda," she continued calmly, "I am only looking out for you like mother wanted me to."

"Yes, I know," Andromeda answered with an equal calm. The sisters shared an uneasy peace the rest of the way back to the school.

Bellatrix watched uneasily as Andromeda was called up to take her place on the stool and the sorting hat was placed under her head. The hat called out, "RAVENCLAW!" and rather than raucous applauding and cheers that had accompanied the sorting thus far, there was scattered clapping and murmurs. A Black had gone into a house _other_ than Slytherin.

Andromeda proudly took her place at the Ravenclaw table. She caught her sister's eye across the Great Hall, and didn't back down from the gaze. It would be bearable, Bellatrix thought. Andromeda would still be her sister.

By the time they had reached the 'S's, Bellatrix was okay with it, but when Ted Tonks went into, "RAVENCLAW!", Bellatrix knew it wouldn't be the last time that mudblood came between her and her sister.


End file.
